Sustainability assessment of energy systems: Indicators, methods, and applications

Abstract Sustainability is a concept that has received much attention globally due to its multidisciplinary nature and future goal, that is, sustainable development. This concept relies on three basic pillars: economy, environment, and society. In terms of sustainable energy systems, it can be defined as a system able to meet present demands by maintaining an adequate balance between economy, environment, and society, and at the same time does not deplete the energy resources used, thus ensuring future use. Assessing the sustainability of an energy system requires a number of indicators from the three pillars, and a suitable method. One popular way for evaluating the sustainability status of an energy system is the multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) method. This chapter provides an overview of the indicators and MCDA methods frequently used in the literature for the sustainability assessment of energy systems. Finally, how to assess the sustainability of an electricity generation system is shown through an application of an MCDA method. This chapter may support selecting the most appropriate MCDA method and related indicators for the energy sector’s sustainability assessment.